Tag: theater

A Camp A Day – Day 8: Opera Camp and Online Guide!

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It’s Day Eight of our A Camp-A-Day Series, and here is a brand new camp that we are REALLY excited about! This Summer, we have partnered with West Bay Opera to offer a 2 week opera program for 9-14 year olds! This is a pretty comprehensive description, so I will let it speak for itself! Important to note: You must contact the Director to set up a meeting and audition. See below!

Summer Opera Youth Program
2 Weeks
Ages 9-14
with Michael Taylor. Michael has been directing, producing and performing in West Bay Opera’s Opera in the Schools (OITS) Program for the past 16 years. An accomplished singer, he has also directed and conducted over fifty productions of operas and musicals. His composition credits include an opera, several musicals and many other vocal and choral works. He holds a Master’s Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and was also a cast member of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. He is an active voice teacher.

This is an intensive, two-week course. Students will design, produce and perform a musical work in English. They will collaborate with a professional stage director, music director, choreographer, technical designer and fellow students to learn new skills, create and perform an operatic work for friends and family on the final evening of the program. In addition performing, participants will work with instructors in a series of workshops to improve their performing arts skills in areas including: Acting and Improvisation, Music and Voice, Dance and Movement, Set & Media design.

Auditions

This is an intensive and highly rewarding program, but it may not be for everyone. Director Michael Taylor will meet with prospective enrollees and their families to answer questions, assess students’ skill level and determine if this is the right fit prior to registration. Please contact SYP@wbopera.org to schedule a meeting.

Summer Youth Opera Program
July 28 – August 8, 2014
9:00am-3:00pm
Fee for 2 weeks: $566 / $546 Resident Discount
LOCATION: VMSC Theater
Performance Date & Time: Friday August 8 at 7:30pm at the VMSC “Little Theater”

And Lastly – as promised…

Here is the link to our Summer 2014 Activity Guide

 

Zoppé Italian Family Circus is Here!


The Circus is HERE! Redwood City is proud to welcome, Zoppé, An Italian Family Circus from October 14th through October 23rd for spectacular two-hour performances that will enthrall the entire family! The Circus tent will be set up next to the Downtown Library at 1044 Middlefield Road in Redwood City and will host matinee and evening performances.

Nino & Julian
Nino and Julian {Photo by RickPurdue}

The Zoppé Family Circus welcomes guests into the intimate 500 seat tent for a one-ring circus that honors the best history of the Old-World Italian tradition. Starring Nino the clown, the circus is propelled by a central story (as opposed to individual acts) that feature acrobatic feats, equestrian showmanship, canine capers, clowning and plenty of audience participation. Giovanni Zoppé, the sixth-generation circus performer who plays Nino, says the show aims higher than what passes for circuses these days. “We try to touch every emotion during the show,” he says. “They’ll laugh, they’ll cry, and they’ll feel for the characters. It’s more of an event than a show.”

Giovanni revived the Zoppé Family Circus in America four years ago, and has since been building its reputation with audiences and critics as an enchanting exhibition of traditional European circus. The Zoppé Circus evokes something from a picture book: the clown, the trapeze, the dancing dogs, the ring and the tent, created to be reminiscent of the one-ring European family circuses of the last century and will thrill and amaze children and adults alike with its breathtaking stunts and astonishing acrobatics. Plus, Zoppé brings a new thrilling act this year, the Rosales Family from Mexico City, Mexico, a family of acrobats and jugglers including 8 year old twin boys who will melt your hearts. The Zoppé Family Circus is a once-a-year event not to be missed, so get your tickets early!

Official Webpage

Tickets can be purchased Online & at Red Morton Community Center. Call the ticket Hotline for up-to-date information 650.780.7586.

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter for Circus Updates

  @rwcevents

He Sings, He Acts, He Teaches Kids! Meet William O’Neill.

Drama teacher Bill O'Neill

Who is William O’Neill?

When William O’Neill came to us, I thought, “could this guy be for real?”  Baritone Opera Singer, Actor, Drama Teacher, a performing arts Jack-of-all trades! Plus, his easy-going presence, playful demeanor and enthusiasm for the Arts was hard to ignore. Oh…and he also founded a very popular Theater and Singing program through the City of San Clemente PARKS & RECREATION! YES!  Thankfully, he decided to move up north and join us in Redwood City. He will be teaching After-School and Summer Theater programs this season (see below). We are excited to announce, that the Summer Camp will be held at the AMAZING Carrington Hall at Sequoia High School.

William, aka “Bill” started doing theater when he was very young. His Church-Music-Director-Father encouraged him to try singing and acting.  Bill started singing in the choir at the ripe age of five years old, and ventured on to do his first musical when he was eight. He has NEVER STOPPED SINCE!  His love for performing brought him to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he graduated with a M.A. in Voice and Opera. Bill has performed in many productions at the SF Conservatory of Music. Some of his more noteworthy parts include: Bottom, in A MidSummer Night’s Dream; Sarastro,  in The Magic Flute; Don Magnifico, in the opera of Cinderella; and Colline, in La Boheme.

Check out his Pipes & Chops in this video of Bill performing in La Boheme:

Some Fun Facts About Bill:

Fave movie: I’d have to say it’s toss up between The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Harry Potter Movies. I’m a big fantasy buff!

Fave TV Shows: Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Iron Chef America

Fave Actors: Male: Matt Damon / Female: Natalie Portman

Fave Dessert: Gourmet Cupcakes! Especially from places like Sprinkles or Kara’s Cupcakes.

Fave place to see a show: Broadway in New York, OF COURSE! Second is Carrington Hall in Redwood City 😉

First acting role: A street kid in the musical of Cinderella when I was 8. My first speaking part, was Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol when I was in 7th grade.

Fave acting role: My favorite show I’ve ever been in is actually one I’m doing right now. It’s called a Year With Frog and Toad. I’m performing it with Bay Area Children’s Theater. I play the part of Toad.

First movie you ever saw: Hahaha… I think it was probably the original Tron in the early 80’s. I also recall seeing the original Clash of the Titans around the same time. So I’m not sure…

What does Music & the Arts mean to you?: I have advice for all of the kids out there, to never give up on your dreams. When I was a kid I had a lot of speech problems to overcome, but doing things like music and theater is what helped me to break though those problems and give me self-confidence. I wouldn’t be the adult I am today without all the training I had a as a child.

Camp & Class Information:

3rd-5th graders can enjoy…
Adventures in Theater Workshop – Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm beginning April 5th for 8 weeks
CLICK HERE FOR INFO/REGISTRATION

5th-8th graders can enjoy…
Too Much Drama! – Thursdays, 3:30-5pm beginning April 7th for 8 weeks
CLICK HERE FOR INFO/REGISTRATION

Summer Camp at Carrington Hall…
Summer Performing Arts Program – Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3pm, July 11-22. 
CLICK HERE FOR INFO/REGISTRATION